chicks and the dog whom loves them too much

[kareninthesun]

My dog is grossing me out. Big time. Black lab, happy. A mama at heart. Seven years old. She immediately took to the first batch of chicks when I got them. Put them in a brooder, on the counter in the laundry room. Every time they'd make a noise contrary to happy, she was on it, would come and get me and whine until I checked to see what the problem was - and fix it. The chicks free range mostly, (they have a coop). If I'm home, and if Katie hears stress, she is there in a flash. All good and wonderful stuff...but now...she's found some sort of hidden luxery in rolling in their poo. Specifically her head. And I caught her licking it up. Gag. It's not like she gets nothing to eat. Good dog food, not the cheap crud. Snacks. When the chicks get treats, she does too. How in the world can I break this habit? She's never done anything like this before, we have another dog, a cockatiel and parrot, the two birds she ignores because they intimidate her. She will lay down and let the chicks climb all over her, and if I'm going away from home, she'll help herd them up and nudge them gently into the coop. So right now I'm keeping the hose and dog shampoo by the back door (both dogs have free access, or DID inside/outside.)

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Wow, I think you have to catch her in the act. My dog will start sniffing at an area and then drop one shoulder to start rubbing whatever the nasty thing (often animal carcass) into the fur on her neck and ruff. If I can catch her just as she's dropping the shoulder and shout "Bella, NO!" she'll jump up and trot sheepishly up to me. If I'm a second too late, I drag her straight to the garden hose where she gets a bath, which she hates. I would think that if you stay right on top of her and catch her just as she's starting to sniff, that would be your best bet. You probably have to take a day and just follow her around, or even set her up, scooping up some chicken poop and putting it right beside her (and you) and giving her whatever command you use to get her to leave something alone, "Leave it" or "No" or "Mine" whatever you've used on other objects that you want her to ignore. It's sweet that she's so kind to the chicks though. At least if she gets nasty you can give her a bath. If she ignored the poo but hurt the chicks it would be a lot harder to deal with.

 

[Elke Beck]

Quote:
It could be her being motherly dog style. Mother dogs usually eat their puppies' poop for at least a week or so after they are born, and some do it longer. If you think of it, it makes a lot of sense because puppies are hard to move if the den gets dirty, so momma eats the poop to keep the den clean.

Or it could just be that chicken poop smells good to her and she wants to wear it and eat it

.

 

[claudicles]

It could be worse. My dogs, also labs, like to roll in duck poo. You think chicken poo smells, bad......

I remember someone saqying once they just like strong smells so it may work to wash her with something that smells strongly but nice

Fortunately I don't have to do it too often to my boys. We don't have ducks around too often.